Spring bed-bottom



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

LA FAYETTB WLDERMUTH.

SPRING BED BOTTOM.

59.1, Patented May zo," 1884.

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LA FAYETTE WILDERMUTH.l SPRINGBED BOTTOM.

N0. 298,927.` Patented May 20, 18841 2P-Eg. fg,

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j SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,927, dated May20, 1884.

Application filed September 22, 1883.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LA FAYETTE WILDER- MUTE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SpringBed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce an adjustable, eXpansible, andfolding spring bedbottom; and to this end my invention consists of aspring bed-bottom composed of two sections, the slats composing onesection being pivoted together by links, adapting the section to beexpanded or contracted, while the slats of the other section areconnected to a frame which is hinged to the adjustable section andadapted to be raised or` lowered and held at any desired angle. Myinvention consists, further, in certain other features, which will befully described, and pointed out inthe claims.

Figure l is atop or planview of my improved spring bed-bottom. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view showing the adjustable headsection in anelevated position, and folded in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a sectional endview taken on the line xx of Fig. l. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are top andsideviews of some of the springs which I prefer to use in theconstruction of a bed-bottom. Fig. 7 is a top and plan view of anotherform of spring used in the construction of the bed-bottom when desired.Figs. 8 and 9 are top and plan views of double-cone springs, which areadapted to be joined together at the bottom and top, and thus form acomplete bed-bottom without being connected to slats. Fig. 10 is a sideview of aspringstay for bracing the outer row or rOWs of springs.

The bed-bottom is composed of two sections, Aand A', hinged together ata by back-flap hinges B, so that the section A can be folded over ontothe section A, with the springs on the slats. The slats which composethe section A are secured to cross-slats C, said slats being providedwith ratchet or rack bars D, which engage with long metal staples E,secured to a supplemental frame, F, and by which means the section A/can be adjusted to any desired angle, so as to raisethe head of thedevice to (No model-.l

any desired angle. The slats of the section A are joined or connected bya series of pivoted bars orlinks, b, secured to the under sides of theslats. These links are pivoted together at their ends between the slats,and thus admit of the slats being brought together edge to edge in astraight line, thereby rendering the bedbottom adjustable to suit bedsof differentsizes. By pushing the slats of the section A close togetherand folding the section A over onto it, the bed-bottom can be made tooccupy a much smaller space and be more readily handled when beingtransported from place to place.

A side view of the bed-bottom as folded is shown in dotted lines in Fig.2, the section A being extended.

It will be noticed that the ratchet-bars D, for supporting and adjustingthe section A', are curved, so that when the section A is lowered to thesame level with the section A the ends of the ratchet-bars will projecttoward the head of the bed and be out of the way.

The ratchet-bars are connected by a bar, o, to which a cord, el, isattached, and by' which means the ratchet-bars are pulled back out ofengagement with the staples and the section A lowered.

Having described the construction of the frame and slats which form thesupport of the springs, Iwill now proceed to describe the constructionof the springs and their connections which form the bed-bottom, and bywhich A means the bottom can be contracted and folded on itself.

It will be observed that the bottom is coinposed of four different kindsof springs, or rather the springs have different kinds of terminals orarms by which they are connected together. These springs are shown inplan and side views in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7.

f Gis the corner spring, which may be placed at the starting oriinishingcorner. It is a plain spiral spring having its upper end bent back andaround the upper coil.

H and I are springs used for one side and end of the bottom. ThespringsH have an eX- tension, d, which projects forward and hooks overthe adjacent spring,which is on the same slat, while the springs I havean extension, e, which is bent to embrace the top coil of the spring onthe adjacent slat,with a return-arm,

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f, which embraces or hooksovcr the top coil of its own spiral. (See Fig.6.) I may use either`form of spring-t'. e., either spring II or I-forthe side and end of the bottom.

K is thel spring which I use for the main portion of the bed-bottom. Itis provided with an arm, g, bent to form two angles, h and i, to embracetwo adjacent springs, and a return-arm, 7c, adapted to hook over the topcoil of its own spiral. By this construction and arrangement of springthe return-arms f and k permit the springs to be placed close togetherwhen the slats are in contact with each other, and thus the bed-bottomis made adjustable in a longitudinal direction. The arms fand 7c, beingsimply placed around the top lcoil of the adjacent spring, Aadmit of thesection A being turned or folded over onto the section A. The shank orlower portion of the springs which clasp the 'slats is bent to conformto the slat, and a coil or coils is made onl the end of the wire, sothat the extreme end of the wire will project upward and impinge on theunder side of the slat. This forms a rm bearing and the spring is heldmore securely on the slat.

L are bracing or steadying springs, one end of which is driven into theend of the slat, While the other end is bent and adapted to be hookedover one of the coils ofthe outer spring. This bracing-spring isrendered flexible by means of the coils Z, made therein, and when placedas described braces the springs of the bed-bottom and preventsthesprings from being bent over, and the lateral displacement of thesprings is obviated.

In Figs. 8 and 9` I have shown in plan and side views two forms ofdouble-cone springs with extensions at the bottom and top for engagingwith adjacent springs. These springs, when properly connected together,form a mattress which is adapted to be laid on the bottom or slats ofvthe bed. I have seen fitto show these double-cone` springs, but do notherein claim them, reserving to myself the right to make a separateapplication therefor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

l. Aspringbed-bottomcomposedof springs and spring-bearing slats, andlinks pivoted to and connecting said slats, as described, in combinationwith the hinged and adjustable headsection A and supplemental frame F,as set forth.

2. A spring bed-bottom composed of sections A and A and F, hingedtogether as described, section A consisting of slats and links pivotedto and connecting the same together, as set forth.

3. A bed -bottom composed of a series of spiral springs, said springshaving arms g, bent to form two angles, hand t', which embrace the topcoils of two adjacent springs, and returnarm le, adapted to hook overthe top coil of its ownl spiral, in combination with slats and linkspivoted to and connecting the same, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LA FAYETTE VILDERMUTH.

XVitnesses:

G. A. MARsHALL, I. I-I. CONLEY.

